1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for managing messages through an operator console in a private branch exchange system, and more particularly, to a method for managing messages in a private branch exchange system using a personal computer as an operator console.
2. Related Art
A private branch exchange system is well known, and its operation is commonly described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,833,768 for PBX Automatic Operator Recall Accessory issued to Scott, U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,751 for Telephone Private Branch Exchange System issued to Morgand et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,841 for Intercept Information Display For A Private Automatic Branch Exchange Telephone System issued to Andersson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,551,832 for Telephone Based Control System issued to Carll et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,666 for Method For Displaying An Absent-Message In A Private Exchange System issued to Kim, U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,577 for Information System For A PABX issued to Harrila, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,313 for Method Of Multiplexing Speech Signal And Control Signal In ISDN B-Channels For An Exchange System issued to Ishibashi et al.
Typically an operator console (switchboard), such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,199 for Attendant Console Complex issued to Gueldenpfennig et al., is used for a telephone operator (attendant) to handle an incoming call and serve extension terminals such as to connect an incoming call from a telephone network to an extension terminal of a called subscriber of the private branch exchange system. If the called subscriber is absent, the operator of the private branch exchange system writes down a message left by a calling subscriber and informs the called subscriber of the message if he or she comes back. At a hotel, for example, an incoming call for a specific guest is received by an operator at the front desk, and connected through an operator console to a guest room. If a calling party demands to leave a message for a guest who is absent, the operator of the front desk must write down the message on paper and turn on a lamp or LED (Liquid Emitting Diode) of a telephone (extension terminal) in a guest room so as to inform the absent guest that a message has been left. The guest must then confirm the message by telephoning the operator. However, it is inconvenient for the operator of the private branch exchange system to write down a message on paper.